Manpower Ministry performs better this year: Official

Manpower Ministry performs better this year: Official

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Manpower praised itself yesterday for having done a better job this year.

Inspector General of the ministry Amin Sumarsono told the press that, compared to 1994, the provincial offices of the ministry have performed better, and improved their image both at home and abroad.

Amin said that some "minor cases" of violations were uncovered. However, an internal auditing of the ministry's development projects has shown that there were no misuses of funds or serious violations this year.

Amin promised that he and his staff will tighten internal supervision in the next years in order to create a clean administration of the ministry.

Amin was instructed by Minister Abdul Latief to disclose to the press the results of the internal inspection, which Amin led, in a bid to make the running of the ministry more transparent to the public.

The minister wished to make public all of the results, "including manipulation and embezzlement" found occurring in the ministry, Amin said.

He said that, since he was appointed inspector general last year, he has yet to find any violations by the minister.

Amin said that of all complaints and protests against the minister, no serious cases that could tarnish the ministry's image have been found.

Amin, who is also a retired Navy commodore, said that of 136 letters of complaint and protest sent directly to the ministry's PO Box 555, 32 have been settled and 104 were still being processed.

Out of 542 letters of complaint and protest addressed through PO Box 5000, supervised by Vice President Try Sutrisno, 151 have been settled while 391 are still being processed.

Amin said the ministry is making efforts to pay attention to every protest or complaint. "We hope all of the cases reported will be thoroughly handled by the end of the 1995/96 fiscal year," he said.

In 1994/95 fiscal year, the ministry received a total of 495 letters of complaints and protests through the two PO Boxes and most were handled.

"The more workers and businessmen lodge their protests with the ministry, the better its image is," Amin said. In addition, there will be fewer people who file their complaints with the House of Representatives, the National Commission on Human Rights, or non-governmental organizations, he said.

Amin also said that 88 employees at the ministry and its provincial offices have been punished for committing minor and major violations such as polygamy and leaving office during work hours.

Of the 88, 46 were reprimanded, 21 had their promotion postponed, 11 fired and 10 demoted, he said.

He said that last year, the ministry punished 129 employees for similar violations. (rms)